Exterior rendering of the tower's spiral-shaped observation platform (Image: BIG)
News just broke that BIG has been commissioned to design a sleek 420 ft tall mixed-use observation tower for Phoenix, Arizona. Quite possibly the city's new symbol?
— bustler.net
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fucking pisses the shit outta me that the city is outsourcing design to those greasy dane's while phoenix architects are starving to death...Fuckheads. Nothing against bjarke but this is a complete waste of resources in a city where schools are falling apart, half the kids are 3 grades behind...The sprawl continues to encroach on the beautiful desert....the sun....eureka now theres an idea! this money could have been used to build a friggin solar plant rather than a tourist attraction in a city with no tourism. Oh yeah but that would be socialism...
The scale is off on this tower. And there is nothing mixed use about it. It looks like BIG could have placed this thing anywhere. And white? White open air lollipop?? Have these people ever been to Phoenix?
there are already plenty of observation towers in phoenix..they are called mountains. They could have built a little observation deck on south mountain or camelback with natural desert appropriate materials like gabbion walls...the foot print would be minimal and the cost would be 1/1000 of what this thing costs. It looks like an air traffic control tower. It is going to be miserable up there when its 120 outside. BIG totally missed the mark. Arizona architecture is all about materiality and integration with nature. This is a really heavy handed approach. AZ has some of the most unique and interesting architecture in the world, its far and few between, but what exists is exceptionally good. This is a real failure imo. Where is the AIA promoting local firms?
Who's Bjarke? And if this is supposed to be a symbol for Pheonix, it won't be a good one. It says "we got screwed by a starchitect" to me, but I'm a bit bias. Plus nothing's as annoying as looking at a view while standing on a ramp, but at least skate boarders will be psyched.
Dec 28, 12 6:34 am ·
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18 Comments
Damn, I really wanted to hate this thing too! Nice work. The only thing I don't like is that it will be surrounded by the rest of Phoenix.
inside-out guggenheim?
nah
upside-down honey dipper
yeah... this really is garbage..
the inside of the guggenheim isn't a sphere and even if it were, it's the worst post-rationalization ever.
A metaphor for Phoenix? Looks like a lollipop...can anyone say sucker?
Fabulously ridiculous.
+
420!
I love the tower but the rationale diagrams are verging on self-parody.
oh wait i thought of another precedent
fucking pisses the shit outta me that the city is outsourcing design to those greasy dane's while phoenix architects are starving to death...Fuckheads. Nothing against bjarke but this is a complete waste of resources in a city where schools are falling apart, half the kids are 3 grades behind...The sprawl continues to encroach on the beautiful desert....the sun....eureka now theres an idea! this money could have been used to build a friggin solar plant rather than a tourist attraction in a city with no tourism. Oh yeah but that would be socialism...
its perfect. who doesnt like sunsets, cupcakes, and lollipops?
the diagrams are perfect too, even though i hate them.
Logo-centric.
Back to the boats!
it looks soooo tacky. ugh.
The scale is off on this tower. And there is nothing mixed use about it. It looks like BIG could have placed this thing anywhere. And white? White open air lollipop?? Have these people ever been to Phoenix?
How is are they going to control the solar heat gain with all that glass? Where is the mechanical going to go? ....
there are already plenty of observation towers in phoenix..they are called mountains. They could have built a little observation deck on south mountain or camelback with natural desert appropriate materials like gabbion walls...the foot print would be minimal and the cost would be 1/1000 of what this thing costs. It looks like an air traffic control tower. It is going to be miserable up there when its 120 outside. BIG totally missed the mark. Arizona architecture is all about materiality and integration with nature. This is a really heavy handed approach. AZ has some of the most unique and interesting architecture in the world, its far and few between, but what exists is exceptionally good. This is a real failure imo. Where is the AIA promoting local firms?
Let them build it so people can observe McDonald's golden arches and Domino's Pizza locations down below.
Wow. So much hating. Can we change the title yet to "BIG Designs Controversial Observation Tower for Pheonix"?
I'm sort of surprised that people in Pheonix know who Bjarke Ingels is.
Who's Bjarke? And if this is supposed to be a symbol for Pheonix, it won't be a good one. It says "we got screwed by a starchitect" to me, but I'm a bit bias. Plus nothing's as annoying as looking at a view while standing on a ramp, but at least skate boarders will be psyched.
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